Korean Spinach Salad 2 Ways (Sigumchi Namul) - Tiffy Cooks (2024)

Here are two types of healthy and delicious Korean Spinach Salad (Sigeumchi Namul) that take less than 10 minutes to make and can last in the fridge for a whole week! We are making two flavors today, one spicy and one savory; both flavors taste good with everything and are super simple to make. Make Sigeumchi Namul in bulk once a week, and you got vegetables ready to go for the rest of the week!

I’ve been watching ALOT of Korean drama lately, and I always drool when I see all the Korean side dishes – banchan.

Korean Spinach Salad – Sigeumchi Namul is an easy banchan that requires only a few simple ingredients, and all you have to do is blanch and season the spinach. I always make Korean Spinach Salad in bulk and store it in the fridge for the whole week. When I am hungry, I love to eat banchan with rice and seaweed; not only is it healthy, it is also super filling!

Who said dieting couldn’t be delicious? Whether you prefer savory or spicy, you can customize Korean Spinach Salad to your liking!

A few ingredients that help flavor the dish are minced garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce, and crushed sesame seeds. I recommend using high-quality soy sauce and sesame oil since they are the essential ingredients for Sigeumchi Namul. For the spicy flavor, I added Korean Red Chili Flakes and Korean Chili Paste. Depending on your spice tolerance, you can increase the amount to your liking. Keep in mind, the longer you marinate in the fridge, the more flavourful it gets, so don’t add too much at once!

Spinach is low in calories but high in nutrients.

Spinach is packed with vitamins and minerals and contains vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C. It is also high in antioxidants which are good for your skin! For this recipe, I prefer to use Taiwanese Spinach or Korean Spinach, which both have longer stems compare to western spinach. If you can’t find Taiwanese or Korean Spinach, I recommend using fresh spinach with the stems.

Here are some Healthy recipes to pair with Sigumchi Namul:

• Miso Glazed Salmon
• Chicken Teriyaki
• Easy Fluffy Korean Steamed Eggs
• Korean Short Ribs Bimbimbap
• Spicy Honey Garlic Chicken Tenders

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb of Fresh Spinach (with the stems on)
• 4 cloves of Garlic minced
• 3 tbsp of Soy Sauce
• 3.5 tbsp of Sesame Oil
• 1 stalk of Green Onion chopped
• 2 tbsp of Sesame Seeds crushed
• 1 tsp of Sugar
• 0.5 tbsp of Korean Red Chili Flakes
• 0.5 tbsp of Korean Chili Paste

1. Cut off the stems and rinse the spinach. Once everything is clean, drain and set aside.
2. In a pot, add 1 tsp of salt and bring to a boil; once it is boiling, add in the spinach and blanch for 30 seconds. After 30 seconds, remove and rinse spinach with cold water to stop the cooking.
3. Squeeze out all the excess water and form it into two balls. Cut the spinach in half.
4. Savory Flavour: In a bowl, mix 2 cloves of minced garlic, 2 tbsp of soy sauce, 2 tbsp of sesame oil, ½ of the chopped green onion 1 tbsp of crushed sesame seeds. Add in the spinach and mix everything; taste to see if you need any more additional seasoning.
5. Spicy flavor: in a bowl, mix 2 cloves of minced garlic, 2 tbsp of soy sauce, 2 tbsp of sesame oil, ½ of the chopped green onion, 1 tbsp of crushed sesame seeds, 0.5 tbsp of Korean red chili flakes, 0.5 tbsp of Korean chili paste and 1 tsp of sugar. Add in the spinach and mix well